Blackberries
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: Fiyero and Elphaba spend an evening with ice cream and a bowl of frozen blackberries. Fluff. Fourth and last in the Berries Series.


**Blackberries**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: Fiyero and Elphaba spend an evening with ice cream and a bowl of frozen blackberries. Fluff. Fourth and last in the Berries Series.**

She lay wrapped in the sheets, breathing in his scent. Reaching up, she brought her hand to her nose, and scratched, before stopping, breathing in the scent of her boyfriend. Content, she snuggled back down, content to stay like that forever. And she would have, had someone_ not_ ripped the sheets from her, exposing her to the cold. Groaning, she pulled the pillow over her head, only to have the pillow taken away as well.

"Get up."

Her dark eyes turned to him, and she glared.

"Come on. I've got a surprise for you." Finally, she sat up, and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She smoothed the front of his shirt, which she wore over a pair of his sweats. It was cold, and so Elphaba had abandoned her skirt and blouse for something warmer (and smelling of her boyfriend). Now, she let him lead her to the kitchen table in his dorm room. It was their last year at Shiz, graduation was three weeks away, and so Fiyero and Elphaba were spending as much time together as possible. Elphaba, the class's valedictorian, had been offered a position with the Wizard, but wanted to move to the Vinkus with Fiyero instead. Assuming they'd still be together after graduation.

Now, he showed her what was sitting on the table. Two bowls. Filled with chocolate ice cream. And behind the bowls of ice cream, was a bowl of frozen blackberries.

"Ice cream?" He nodded at her incredulous look, pulling her chair out for her. Once the two were seated, he spooned the blackberries into the bowls. Silent, they began eating, talking about nothing in particular.

"Graduation's three weeks away."

"Yep."

"Have you decided whether you're going to take the Wizard's offer?"

Elphaba shrugged.

"I don't want to. I want---"

"What?"

She met his eyes.

"I..." She sighed. "I want to.....to move to the Vinkus. With you."

He started. Elphaba wanted to move to the Vinkus with him? Like, move in? Live together? Or move to the Vinkus as friends?

"R....really?"

She nodded.

"As....as friends, or--"

"No. As....more than....friends."

"Like we are."

She nodded. Silent, he reached out, taking her hand and squeezing. Then, they returned to finishing their ice cream, and the berries. Finally, Elphaba spooned the last of the berries into her bowl, and when she returned the spoon to the empty bowl, she stopped, her eyes catching something.

Reaching into the bowl, her fingers grasped something. She pulled it out, and then grabbed a napkin, wiping it off. Once it was clean, she set the napkin down, seeing what it really was.

An engagement ring.

A beautiful, silver engagement ring, with a stone as black as the berries in her bowl.

Her eyes met Fiyero's and he smiled softly at her. Gently, he reached out, took the ring from her, and got up. She watched, shocked, as he got down in front of her, and took her hand.

"It was my mother's. When my father proposed, he.....he hid it in a.....a strawberry tart, my mother's favorite dessert. When she bit into it, she bit into the ring, and....nearly choked on the shock. And.....so when she gave it to me to give to you, I....I realized that...._you don't like strawberry tarts_."

She laughed softly, reaching up to wipe a tear away.

"But then I remembered that you liked blackberries. And that's when I decided to put the ring in the bowl of blackberries, and hope you found it. And you did. And, now.....Elphaba....I love you. I want to......I want to make you my wife, and....give you beautiful, green-skinned babies. I want to rule the Vinkus with you. Elphaba, will you rule the Vinkus with me? Will you become my wife? Will you let me give you green-skinned babies?"

She nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Beautiful. _Beautiful_, green-skinned babies."

She laughed through her tears, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands, before joining him on the floor and pressing her nose to his. Tenderly, she kissed him.

"A _hundred beautiful_, green-skinned babies."

They kissed again, and when they broke apart, Fiyero slipped the ring on her finger, before capturing her lips with his. She pulled away, a smile on her face.

"What?"

She giggled softly.

"What is it, Fae?"

"I just thought of something."

"What did you think of?"

"A million."

"A million what?"

Her next statement brought a soft laugh from them both.

"A_ million_ beautiful, green-skinned babies."


End file.
